Polarization difference matting using a screen configured to reflect polarized light

Abstract

A method for extracting an alpha matte from images of a scene illuminated by unpolarized light is presented. A first pair of images is acquired with a foreground object placed in front of a background producing polarized light. One image of the first pair of images measures vertically polarized light of the scene, and a second image of the first pair of images measures horizontally polarized light of the scene. A second pair of images is acquired of the background producing the polarized light. One image of the second pair of images measures vertically polarized light of the background, and a second image of the second pair of images measures the horizontally polarized light of the background. The first and second pairs of images arte combined to generate an alpha matte and an alpha multiplied foreground.

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